


A Lover as Real as You

by Elveatas (Ricecake)



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Harem, Anal Sex, Concubines, Harems, M/M, Suggested Come Eating, Table Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:20:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29696997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ricecake/pseuds/Elveatas
Summary: Arthur hasn't visited the concubines' halls since the last war. He hasn't had need for them.
Relationships: Gwen/Lancelot/Morgana (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 187
Collections: Finish that Fic Merlin!





	A Lover as Real as You

**Author's Note:**

> I cannot believe I actually managed to finish a fic which I started all the way back in 2015. Where did time go?? Also, what a brilliant coincidence that the wordcount for this is exactly 2015 words, lol
> 
> A huge thank you to my wonderful beta [hart_d](http://hart-d.livejournal.com/)

Arthur knew he was attracting quite a few curious glances as he strode down the corridors towards the concubines’ halls, his red cape billowing behind him despite the lack of wind inside. He wasn’t emanating anger per se, but from the stiff set of his shoulders and the deep frown on his face, everyone catching a glimpse of him would know that the visit was not going to be one of pleasure.

That and the fact that he had not enjoyed the company of a concubine since he came home from the war that saw him become king almost a year ago.

Once, Arthur had found the concubines’ halls a welcome way to escape the many duties that had lain on his shoulders since he was little. They’d been a safe haven where he could lose himself in the pleasure of flesh, or simply be entertained by courtesans educated in the many different arts of performance of which not all took place between the sheets. When he’d been a young boy, and not yet old enough to understand the true purpose of the concubines, his father had often sent for them to perform plays or songs to entertain Arthur and Morgana during the long winter days or the bright summer nights where the king was otherwise occupied. Later, when Arthur had grown older and his loins had started stirring at the most inappropriate moments, and Morgana had started developing curves in weird places, they’d both been introduced to what other talents the concubines had. And being a healthy young prince with a fully functioning libido he’d visited the halls extensively.

But that was then. Now he found them a superfluous extravagance meant only to show off the wealth of the kingdom to foreign dignitaries and nobles. Though he did have to concede to the concubines who moonlighted as spies, that if not for them, the kingdom would have fallen long ago, as more than one conspiracy against the throne had been thwarted because men became stupid in bed. That was the only use Arthur saw for them now.

And yet here he was, entering lavishly decorated halls he hadn’t visited since before the war.

“Y-your Majesty!” George, the servant tasked with registering who came and went, leapt up from his seat. “How may I be of service? Is there anyone in particular you’d like to entertain you?”

“No,” Arthur said, simple and final, and strode further into the halls without bothering to explain himself. He didn’t need to turn around to know George was staring perplexed after him, just as he didn’t need to look at the concubines he passed to know they bore similar expressions of bewilderment. Possibly mixed with intrigue and a little bit of hope. Being the king’s favourite was a position held in high esteem and he knew that murmurs of his presence in the halls would spread like wildfire and faster than he could walk. They were going to be disappointed though.

He found his sister in the furthest end of the halls where she was sitting between Lancelot’s spread legs, using his chest as a recliner, while Guinevere was resting her head on Morgana’s thigh as Morgana fed her grapes with her fingers. Fortunately, they were dressed. While Arthur and Morgana had caught each other in flagrante more than once, there was something quite disturbing about seeing your own sibling mid coitus.

“We missed you at the council meeting today,” Arthur said tersely. “ _Again_.”

“I’m sorry,” Morgana said in a manner that fooled absolutely no one as to how sorry she actually was. “I was busy.” She fed Gwen another grape as they exchanged besotted smiles that would once have caused Arthur a prick of jealousy.

Arthur crossed his arms. “Do not give me that appalling excuse. These halls will still be here after a council meeting. As will Guinevere and Lancelot.”

Morgana moved her gaze from Gwen and up to Arthur, an annoying smirk about her painted lips. “Perhaps you too should spend some time in here. Lighten up a bit. It might help unstick that thing you’ve got up your arse. Or perhaps you don’t have one? That might also be a problem, which our subjects in here would be more than willing to provide, I am sure.”

“I have better things to do.”

Morgana arched a pointed eyebrow. “I know. Which is why it falls to me to provide the kingdom with an heir. The council fears you’ve become impotent after the war or that someone cut off your dick, so they’ve asked me to make sure there’ll be an heir to continue the Pendragon dynasty. As you can see, I am hard at work.” She moved a bit in her seat, and Arthur had no doubt she was rubbing her arse against Lancelot’s cock. He also knew what the three of them would be getting up to once he left the halls.

“I’ve not become impotent, and my cock is still very much intact,” Arthur said because he had to defend his honour somehow. “I just have a kingdom to run and rebuild. Perhaps it would be easier if my sister would actually help me against the vultures we call a council. Maybe then I’d have some time to relax and unwind.”

“I’ll be at the next council session, I promise,” she said in a thoroughly unconvincing way.

“You will be if you want actual influence,” he said because he knew that was the only thing that would get to her. If there was one thing Morgana had always wanted, it was influence.

-ll-

Merlin, his manservant, was setting up dinner when Arthur got back to his chambers.

“Rumour has it you visited the concubines’ halls today,” Merlin commented a bit too nonchalantly as he set down a flagon of wine on the table.

“Morgana was shirking her duties,” Arthur said idly, closing the door behind him before walking further into the room.

“Of course,” Merlin said, not meeting Arthur’s eyes as he stepped up to Arthur to remove his cloak. “Now come and eat.”

Arthur watched Merlin fold his cloak and put it away in the armoire. He was indeed very hungry.

“Pour me a cup of wine, will you,” he asked and took great pleasure in Merlin’s grumbling as he slammed the armoire closed and went back to the table to pour Arthur a cup of wine.

“How about you pour your own damned wine for once?” Merlin muttered. “It’s not that hard.”

Arthur felt a grin stretch his lips at Merlin’s choice of words and stepped closer, effectively trapping Merlin against the table with his body before he could move away.

“Arthur,” Merlin protested half-heartedly when Arthur’s reached up to deftly untie Merlin’s neckerchief. He didn’t make any moves to shake him off, though, which Arthur took as incentive to continue.

“Merlin,” Arthur drawled and threw the neckerchief on the table. He knew how sullen Merlin got when it ended up on the floor. Then he pressed closer, glad that he hadn’t worn his armour that day so he could feel all of Merlin’s warmth down his front, and pressed hot open-mouthed kisses to Merlin’s newly exposed neck. His hands travelled down Merlin’s body, found the hem of Merlin’s tunic, and wandered beneath to seek out hot skin.

“Oil,” he murmured into Merlin’s shoulder as one hand went to undo Merlin’s breeches, pushing them down his legs.

“Arthur,” Merlin protested again. “You want to— _Now_!? Over your dinner?”

Arthur licked a long stripe up from Merlin’s collar bone and to his ear. “ _Oil_.”

Merlin heaved a put-upon sigh to mask the shiver that went through his body and reached out a hand. The vial of oil flew into his hand from across the room. Arthur smiled, plucking the vial from Merlin’s hand before he opened it, and poured a liberal amount of oil into his own hand.

Merlin hissed from the cold as Arthur found his hole and gently inserted an oil-coated finger. He worked it around for a bit, taking great delight in Merlin’s sigh of pleasure and how he became nearly boneless when Arthur hit a particular spot.

When he deemed that Merlin was ready, he withdrew, and this time Merlin’s protest sounded closer to a whine. Arthur grinned and undid his own breeches to free his cock which had been hard longer than he could remember. He reached for the vial of oil again to slick himself up, and then slowly, ever so slowly, to give Merlin time to adjust, he guided himself inside.

He started slow, but as Merlin shoved back against him, meeting him at the halfway point, he sped up. Arthur pulled him back against his chest, fucking into him with a pace between furious and desperate, enjoying every little sound he managed to pull out of Merlin, every little whimper, that unlike the concubines’ wanton sighs, were unpractised and real.

This was why he hadn’t visited the concubines’ halls since after the final battle of the war where both Merlin and Arthur had been so high on adrenaline, they’d fallen into bed with each other. Once he’d had a taste of what it was like with someone who cared only for his person and not his position, he couldn’t imagine going back. Why should he waste his time bedding someone who wanted Arthur because he was the king and not simply because he was Arthur? Why would anyone choose stale water over fine wine?

Sensing that he was close, Arthur reached for Merlin’s cock, stroking it in time with his thrusts. Merlin went boneless beneath him, bracing himself on the table to keep his balance, his moans echoing throughout the room.

Arthur bit into Merlin’s neck as he came, stilling his hips but not his hand so that Merlin could follow him into coming shortly after. Which he did, come spurting out over the meal Arthur was supposed to be eating.

“Now look at your food,” Merlin grumbled without much heat as he came down from his climax, soft and pliant in Arthur’s arms.

Arthur kissed the fresh bitemark on Merlin’s neck which would later be covered with one of his neckerchiefs. “We’ll worry about that later. You can always fetch me a new meal,” he said as he pulled out and took a step back to let Merlin turn around to face him.

“Or you can eat it as it is,” Merlin suggested with a devilish smirk.

“Tempting,” Arthur said. “I’ll think about it. Now let’s get to bed.”

He dragged Merlin over to his bed, where he divested them of their clothes before arranging them in a tangle someone else might have called a cuddle. Merlin was wise enough not to point it out, but he did give Arthur that sort of look that said he knew what Arthur was about.

“It’s a good thing your father didn’t make me into a concubine back in the day,” Merlin said after he’d lain quiet in Arthur’s arms for a bit, which in itself was a feat. The quiet part. Not the laying in Arthur’s arms. Merlin was particularly good at that.

“Hmm?” Arthur murmured, already starting to drowse as he drew small patterns across Merlin’s naked skin.

“You’d have gotten nothing done, you insatiable dollophead. Spending all your days in bed with me instead of ruling the country.”

“I’m still tempted to make you one,” Arthur jested. “It’s not too late.”

Merlin turned around in Arthur’s arms, horrified. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Arthur smiled and placed a sweet kiss on Merlin’s soft lips. “You’re right. I wouldn’t want to share you with anyone else. I want you just for myself.”

“Aww, that sounded almost sweet.”

Arthur huffed and shut Merlin up with a much deeper, filthier kiss that would shortly lead to another round. If Merlin knew what Arthur actually wanted, he’d never let him hear the end of it. And it wasn’t something kings did anyway, so he might as well keep his mouth shut.

Marriage was only for the common people, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this :)
> 
> You can btw find me on tumblr [here](http://elveatas.tumblr.com/)  
> 


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